MOORESVILLE, N.C. (July 6, 2022) – Sam Hunt Racing (SHR) announced today that NTT IndyCar Series driver, Santino Ferrucci, will compete in back-to-back races in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) with the team at Pocono Raceway and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course.
Ferrucci, who made the jump to stock-car racing from open-wheel racing in 2021 with SHR, has seven career NXS starts, earning four Top-15 finishes, including a 14th-place finish at Pocono Raceway. Although Ferrucci has never competed on a road course in a stock car, the part-time IndyCar competitor has four Indianapolis Grand Prix starts where he has recorded two top-10 and two top-15 finishes.
“I’m super excited to be back with Sam and the team!” Said Ferrucci. “It’s been a long time coming since last year, and I’m excited to be back behind the wheel of an Xfinity car with Toyota. I think the momentum from the past two years has been really good. I’ve been in a good spot mentally, and I am driving the best I ever have. I think having the experience of both IndyCar and NASCAR is very helpful. It will be easier to go to an Xfinity car this year instead of last year’s transition from an Xfinity car to an IndyCar and vice versa.”
SHR made its first-ever NXS start in 2019 at the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The team impressed the competition with its speed after qualifying 15th in its first national series start.
After a part-time effort during the 2020 NXS season, the young team expanded to full-time competition, fielding eight drivers of various skill-level, ending the season with one top-five, two top-10, and nine top-15 finishes.
“Mine and Santino’s story is special because we both started working together when there were a lot of crossroads in our respective careers,” said Sam Hunt, the 29-year-old owner of Sam Hunt Racing. “People don’t realize how hard Santino works behind the scenes, and how he has to fight for every ounce of funding he gets. He’s an ultra-talented racer and a personality the sport needs. He doesn’t race to make friends, he races to pay his bills. I’m excited to have him come back to SHR after his fourth consecutive Indianapolis 500 top-ten finish.”
On board for Ferrucci’s No. 26 Toyota Camry for the first of two starts, the Pocono Mountains 225, will be Freedom Alliance, a charitable organization founded by Oliver North, a Marine officer of 22 years. North is a decorated combat Marine, best-selling author, and graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. The Freedom Alliance is a military support organization that impacts thousands of combat veterans, active duty, and military families by helping them overcome the mental, emotional and physical wounds of war.
“We’re thrilled to have the Freedom Alliance brand associated with NASCAR’s most dynamic team and most exciting driver,” said Freedom Alliance President Tom Kilgannon. “As supporters of combat veterans and military families, we partner with the best, so naturally, we’re aligned with Sam Hunt Racing and Santino Ferrucci for the Pocono Mountains 225. This is an honor for Freedom Alliance and the heroes we represent. We’re fired up!”
Information regarding partnership for the Pennzoil 250 at the Brickyard will be announced at a later time.
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